Claudio Ranieri finally broke his silence on Monday night regarding his controversial sacking at Leicester City by suggesting he had been betrayed by “someone behind me” and denying that the players ousted him at the King Power Stadium.

Ranieri’s dismissal as Leicester manager in February, only 298 days after he led the club to the Premier League title in arguably the greatest shock in English football history, attracted widespread outrage at the time.

The Italian has kept a dignified silence since then but, speaking candidly for the first time about his departure, he refused to blame the Leicester players for his sacking and instead pointed the finger elsewhere, adding that he may confront the perceived back-stabber in person.

“I listened to a lot of stories about this,” Ranieri told Sky Sports’ Monday Night Football programme with pundit Jamie Carragher and presenter David Jones.

“Maybe it could be somebody behind me, but also the little problem I had the year before and we won the title. Maybe these people, this year, when we lose they push a little more. That’s it. I don’t want to tell. I am a serious man, a loyal man. What I have to say, I say face to face.”

Ranieri was at Stamford Bridge for Chelsea's game against Manchester City last weekCredit: Reuters

Sacked the day after Leicester’s 2-1 defeat at Sevilla in the first leg of their Champions League round-of-16 tie, it was said that a meeting between senior players and the club’s owner, Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha, sealed Ranieri’s fate. But while Ranieri blames some of the lavish contracts dished out to some members of the squad last summer as a reason behind the drop in standards, he waved away suggestions that the players were behind his dismissal.

Speaking before Leicester’s Champions League quarter-final, first leg away to Atlético Madrid on Wednesday night, Ranieri said: “No, I can’t believe it. I cannot believe that my players killed me. No, no, no. The players maybe don’t give their maximum because there are other problems.

“Other problems could be that when they were here before they earned a little less, and after that they earned double or triple. Maybe when you were safe in the last match and restart the season, you are so concentrated to be solid and strong. We started very well the year before.

“Then when you come back in pre-season when you have won the title, you go around the world. You go to America to play against big teams for the first time in your life. The situation is totally different.”

Leicester won their first six games following Ranieri’s sacking, with Sunday’s 4-2 loss at Everton their first defeat under interim manager Craig Shakespeare, the Italian’s assistant who has been placed in charge until the end of the season.

But Ranieri said he was shocked to lose his job, barely a fortnight after a statement of support from the club, after feeling that the Sevilla game signalled a turning point. Leicester won the return leg 2-0 under Shakespeare to set up the quarter-final against Atlético.

“The turning point was the Sevilla match,” he said. “In the second half everyone was together again, fighting, Jamie [Vardy] scoring.

Ranieri believes the Sevilla game was the turning pointCredit: Reuters

“We made very good matches before that but not with the same consistency of the year before, that was the problem.

“To go to Sevilla, who won the Europa League three times in a row, it’s not easy to go there and [only] lose 2-1, so when I was sacked it was a shock for me and for everyone.

“I knew that the second year was totally different, because when you have won the title, the players have to understand what happened, must reset their mind, because it’s not easy. We are not a team that are used to staying at the top and fighting for the title.

“We were a little team with some players used to playing in the Premier League and there was an explosion. You won the title, amazing. Then we had to stay calm. I believed that sooner or later we would switch on.”

In a sign of the spirit that has been reforged in recent months, Wes Morgan is flying out to Madrid in an effort to help Leicester’s Champions League push, despite being ruled out through injury.

Wes Morgan misses the game with a back injuryCredit: Rex Features

Shakespeare revealed yesterday that the Leicester captain would be in the dressing room before the game against Atlético and is likely to make a speech ahead of kick-off. Morgan has a back injury and is also doubtful for the return game.

“Wes will be encouraged not only to be in and around the dressing room before the game but hopefully on the training pitch too,” he said. He leads by example and I think he enjoys the involvement. I expect whoever is not playing to be encouraging, and if they’ve seen something at half-time then they are actively encouraged to speak up.”

Wilfred Ndidi, the £15 million January signing from Genk, missed the Everton game with a groin problem but is expected to be fit for Atlético.

On how he motivated the players

"Our goal was always 40 points. When we got to 40 points, we needed another target. I told the players to aim to get the club into Europe.

"I always felt we could win the title. I felt the electricity. A player asked me if we could win the title and I started laughing. He came back to me after we wont the league and said 'you knew'. I did know we could win it all along."

What can we expect tonight?

Claudio Ranieri will shortly be joining Jamie Carragher on this week's edition of Sky Sports' Monday Night Football, and there is some expectation that the former Leicester City manager will reveal some of the unknowns about his sacking in February.

Many fans at the time could not believe Leicester's owner had decided to dismiss a man that led them from relegation candidates to Premier League winners.

Leicester have thrived since replacing Ranieri with Craig Shakespeare, shooting up the table with five consecutive wins before Sunday's defeat to Everton, and while they also saw off Sevilla to make it into the Champions League quarter-finals, where they face Atletico Madrid on Wednesday.

But despite the fact that the club are seemingly better off without Ranieri, it is hard not to feel a little sorry for the Italian, and it will (hopefully) be interesting to hear what he has to say on the whole charade. We'll be bringing you live updates.